I can remember steam locomotives being bought out of retirement in the 1960s to put more trains on the line to cope with the Christmas holiday demand.🚂 The overnight train used to be my favourite way to travel between Auckland & Wellington.

Yep, just before they killed it, I used to park at National Park or Waiouru, get the overnighter to Wellington, do all my Welly business and then rewind the rubber band home that night....

We did the Silver Star once as a family but tail-ender me cannot remember anything other than standing in the corridor looking in the doorway of the sleeping compartment. Did an overnight from Istanbul to Ankara in the mid 90's though; recommend.